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Stirling MP Stephen Kerr was this week at odds with thousands of his constituents as he backed Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament this month.

The UK Parliament will be prorogued as early as Monday, September 9, in a move which has been described as a “constitutional outrage” by the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow.

Stirling voted 68 per cent to remain in the EU during the 2016 referendum, and so far more than 3000 people with addresses in the area have signed an online petition to block the proroguing of parliament. The petition has already attracted more than 1.4 million signatures across the UK.

A Queen’s Speech will take place following the re-formation of Parliament on October 14, in a move which, the Prime Minister’s opponents say, will cut the amount of time MPs will have to pass laws to potentially stop a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.

In a statement published on his website Wednesday, Mr Kerr said that ending the session of Parliament was “long overdue” and that the procedure was “considered a very normal routine”.

The proroguing of parliament is typically a short period. In the last decade, it has lasted between three and 20 days. The latter was longer than usual as it coincided with the 2014 European elections.

Mr Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks marks the longest period in modern times and has prompted strong cross-party condemnation with critics claiming the Prime Minister is attempting to foil attempts to prevent a no-deal exit on October 31.

Mr Kerr also stated that he is “ready and waiting to lend [his] hand” to the UK Government to pass a deal through the House of Commons, as well as making clear his preference for a no-deal Brexit rather than any further extensions of Article 50.

He said: “My stated ambition has always been to agree a Withdrawal Agreement with the EU, and this remains the case. To this end, I believe the Prime Minister’s action drastically increases our chances of a deal.

“I cannot overstate the damage this continued uncertainty is doing, extending and extending our exit and putting all other issues in stasis. As we have seen, extensions do nothing except keep people waiting in a state of uncertainty for months longer. This is no way to continue and the Prime Minister is absolutely right to set a hard deadline, so we can get this done and move on.

“Although I do not want to leave the EU without a deal, I cannot deny the Government has been putting in extensive preparations for it. If this scenario comes to pass, I expect there to be disruption, but with political will the EU and the UK will continue to co-operate to a level that any negative effects will be mitigated.”

SNP MEP Alyn Smith, who recently set up an office in the Stirling constituency, has called upon Scottish Conservative MPs including Mr Kerr to ‘stand up for Scotland’s interests’.

He said: “This is really dangerous stuff, and is irresponsible from the UK Prime Minister and the people around him – nobody voted for this. The idea that you strengthen the sovereignty of a parliament by shutting it down is horrifying.

“Scotland voted clearly to remain within the EU, we want to find solutions to this. That’s why the SNP has been leading cross party efforts, along with Labour, the Liberals, the Greens and the Remain-backing Tories as well because we want to find a solution to this. From revoking Article 50, to putting the decision back to the people, there are solutions to be found.”

Stirling MSP Bruce Crawford commented: ““The current tactics of the Tory Party are a democratic outrage; designed to stifle the reasonable voices of politicians who are simply trying to ensure that their constituents are safe. For instance, we all know the dangers to the supply of medicines that Brexit poses.

“Along with the vast majority of my constituents, I want Brexit stopped. I sincerely hope that parties of all colours find a way to work together in coming days to prevent the Prime Minister from taking the whole of the UK off of a Brexit cliff edge, which poses a real threat to jobs and livelihoods of ordinary working people.”